Origin
Bellaire, NY
Late night in Bellaire on Saturday
Local time
2:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bellaire, NY to Washington Heights, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
15.8 mi
25 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bellaire, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Washington Heights, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Bellaire, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 15.8 miles and takes about 22 minutes via Cross Bronx Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a quick hop that's ideal for getting from one part of the city to another without a lot of fuss. Given the minimal distance and time, it's a straightforward drive that won't eat up your day.
About the Cities
Arriving in Washington Heights, NY
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 15.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is heavily highway-focused, with 74% of it on major expressways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Cross Bronx Expressway, Clearview Expressway, and crossing the Throgs Neck Bridge. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 6 miles on the Cross Bronx Expressway. Expect a driving experience characterized by consistent speed and the typical flow of urban expressway traffic, rather than winding backroads or scenic vistas.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cross Bronx Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Cross Bronx Expressway and Clearview Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near I 295 / Clearview Expressway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 15.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 295 / Clearview Expressway
Turn left onto I 295 / Clearview Expressway toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Throu...
6
8.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 87: Queens, Albany, Major Deegan Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1D-C-B
Toward I 87: Queens, Albany, Major Deegan Expre...
9
14.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Amsterdam Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward Amsterdam Avenue
5
15.6 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Wadsworth Avenue
Turn right onto Wadsworth Avenue
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bellaire, NY to Washington Heights, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Albany along the way.
Albany
14.7 mi in
|
~19m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cross Bronx Expressway | 6 mi | 7m |
| Clearview Expressway | 5 mi | 5m |
| Throgs Neck Bridge | 2 mi | 3m |
| Throgs Neck Expressway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Francis Lewis Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Washington Bridge | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Hillside Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 181st Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Cross Bronx Expressway
— 6 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bellaire, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
1
Start on Francis Lewis Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Francis Lewis Boulevard
2
Turn right onto NY 25
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Hillside Avenue
3
Turn left onto I 295
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
5
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 1D-C-B
Toward I 87: Queens, Albany, Major Deegan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 1B
Toward Amsterdam Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto Washington Bridge
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Bridge
10
Continue on West 181st Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
West 181st Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Wadsworth Avenue
237 ft
·
14 sec
·
Wadsworth Avenue
12
Turn left onto West 182nd Street
277 ft
·
23 sec
·
West 182nd Street
13
Turn left onto US 9
229 ft
·
4 sec
·
Broadway
14
Arrive at destination
US 9
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.60 one way
$5.20 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.81 | $5.62 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.06 | $6.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.49 | $6.98 |
Estimated Tolls: $6.55
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$7
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.66 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.21 | $1.01 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Washington Heights, NY
Late night in Washington Heights on Saturday
Local time
2:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
22m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bellaire, NY to Washington Heights, NY covers 15.8 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cross Bronx Expressway, Clearview Expressway, Throgs Neck Bridge. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.9 miles from Bellaire, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.60 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 15.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.6 miles (I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Bellaire, NY to Washington Heights, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Albany along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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